CLARKSTOWN - Incumbent Supervisor George Hoehmann and challenger Michael Sullivan will go head-to-head in the November election for supervisor.

This is the first election under the new ward system, which splits the town into four zones and sets two-year term lengths for each council member. All five council members will be on the ballot.

The supervisor position comes with an annual $170,000 salary.

Hoehmann, a Republican, is seeking his a second term. His first two years in office amid the disciplinary charges he brought against Sullivan as the chief of police in mid-2016. The charges ultimately led to Sullivan's firing in September.

Sullivan, a Democrat, is a 33-year police veteran. His suspension last year generated an outpouring of support, which included well-attended rallies by residents and police, fire, and emergency personnel.

The Town Council is currently in control of the GOP, which enjoys a 3-2 majority, although the town is majority Democrat.

The following are excerpts of questions posed to the candidates via email.

Who are you running alongside?

Sullivan: The Team Clarkstown ticket includes:

Michael Sullivan: Town Supervisor

Ricky Sanchez: Town Council candidate in Ward 1

Dan Caprara: Town Council candidate in Ward 2

Don Franchino: Town Council candidate in Ward 3

Patrick Carroll: Town Council candidate in Ward 4

Justin Sweet: Town Clerk

Scott Ugell: Town Justice

Aimee Pollak: Town Justice

Hoehmann: The Results Matter ticket includes:

George Hoehmann: Supervisor

Frank Borelli: Town Council candidate in Ward 1

Peter Bradley: Town Council candidate in Ward 2

Adrienne Carey: Town Council candidate in Ward 3

John Noto Jr.: Town Council candidate in Ward 4

Frank DiZenzo: Highway Superintendent

Moria Balseca: Town Clerk

Craig Johns: Town Judge

Scott Ugell: Town Judge

Building and zoning enforcement and changes impacting police department are two major issues during the past two years. What are your plans for tackling these issues?

Hoehmann: Two years ago, I pledged a more muscular approach to building and code enforcement. When elected, we passed bold and sweeping changes to our zoning codes, eliminating certain uses from residential areas, to ensure the quality of life for residents. We added fire and code enforcement officers and a career prosecutor to lead the effort. As a result, we have seen an almost 200 percent increase in violations and a tenfold increase in cases going to court.

Clarkstown is the only town issuing search warrants to gain entry and evidence to prosecute illegal housing cases.

I will continue to vigorously enforce our building and zoning codes to ensure that the quality of life and character of Clarkstown in enhanced for all of our residents.

Working with the PBA and police administration, my administration has achieved targeted cuts to the police department by more than $2 million without jeopardizing services. Under the leadership of Chief Raymond McCullagh, reforms are underway, including the strengthening of internal affairs and the revitalization of the Civilian Complaint Review Board.

Sullivan:The consensus is that the lack of enforcement of these issues has led to rampant overdevelopment in the Town of Ramapo, and threatens the same elsewhere.

The answer is not all that complicated: Enforce the building and zoning laws. We agree with the current administration’s approach to this issue. Strict enforcement of the code and the resources to do it properly. What we disagree with is the rhetoric that is politicizing this issue.

We should also engage in partnership with our local schools and businesses to make sure that any property in the town complies with these goals.

The Clarkstown Police Department has certainly been through a lot over the past year. One thing that we are seriously concerned about regarding the department’s future is the manner in which public safety has been dragged into the political arena.

Like zoning and code enforcement, the current policies of the supervisor and Town Council have served to completely politicize the police department. This is dangerous to public safety and bad for law enforcement. Our plan is to re-establish a Civilian Police Commission, as it was intended under the Rockland County Police Act, in order to place a buffer between law enforcement and the ongoing political issues of the day, as well as the temporary occupants of elected office.

Clarkstown has instituted a no-knock registry and a law limiting the use of town parks to residents only. Do you support these measures?

Sullivan: The no-knock law's intent is to provide some protection for residents against overzealous real estate agents and the prospect of blockbusting. It is an effective, legal, and non-partisan law that effectively gets the job done in this area.

The use of parks for residents only is more problematic. No one wants to appear intolerant or unfriendly, but if the number of visitors becomes a major impediment to the enjoyment of the town residents enjoyment of local recreational facilities, then it becomes necessary. The thing to remember is that once these types of actions are enforced, the economic responsibility now falls on the local residents. We are not saying that we should not do it, we just need to be mindful of all the consequences. Clarkstown has invested a great deal of money into our parks and recreation areas, and we do believe that we should take these steps to protect our residents' rights to enjoy them.

Hoehmann: For far too long, Clarkstown residents were besieged by overly aggressive peddlers and solicitors who routinely sought to buy homes for cash or hawk useless products. Those who have experienced this mistreatment know how antagonistic and belligerent these peddlers and solicitors are. That’s why we proposed the no-knock law and got it passed.

This legislation put an end to this erratic behavior and is restoring the peaceful quality of life for which Clarkstown is known. The law will fine offenders and seeks to prosecute for multiple offenses.

We have sent a strong message that the bucolic nature of our town will be preserved and is not negotiable. As I have said before, anyone can come and call Clarkstown home, but forget about illegally converting your house or misusing your property because it will not be tolerated.

The resident-only policy for our parks and facilities has been law since the 1970s. Our residents pay a good deal in taxes and expect high-quality services that they deserve.

Why do you believe you are better qualified at leading Clarkstown as supervisor than your opponent?

Hoehmann: Simply, my record over the past two years.

I delivered the first tax cut in over 30 years for all taxpayers and a zero percent increase for 2018. I ended the practice of increasing our debt and I'm proud of the fact that we reduced our debt by over $5 million. I converted our streetlights to LEDs saving over $1 million annually, and have taken steps to protect our residents by strengthening zoning codes and putting resources in place to enforce the law.

Going forward, I will continue to protect our town from overdevelopment, expand our commercial base and reduce property taxes.

I have revamped our ethics law so that it is not only in compliance with state law, but ensures we have set the highest standards for government employees. We ended the practice of paying our ethics board which was illegal under state law and hired an ethics counsel that reports directly to the ethic’s board.

Sullivan: I have the experience as the chief of the Clakstown police department, and a proven track record.

During my years as chief, I reduced staffing by 12 positions while making the department more efficient and responsive to public needs. At the same time, I reduced overtime by 20 percent, sick time by 23 percent, the operating budget from $2.1 million to $1.5 million, and implemented a new department-wide philosophy of community policing, and was in the process of bringing intelligent-led policing to the department.

I have also developed a reputation for honesty, the ability to work well with others, and the ability to bring people together for common objectives. This is in direct contrast to my opponent who has a history of changing jobs frequently and dividing the community.

What are the top two issues your campaigns are running on and how do you plan on solving them?

Sullivan: Taxes and corruption.

The most common complaint I receive from people on the campaign trail is the high cost of living in the town. I have come to the conclusion that there is only one answer: We must reduce the cost of living in our town.

This is why our ticket is committed to a 10 percent tax cut within three years. We need to increase revenue while reducing expenditures. To increase revenue, we propose the appointment of an economic development agent, someone who will seek out new business opportunities to bring to our town, while providing guidance through the approval process.

We also need to review the zoning and approval process in an effort to cut red tape, while still protecting our environment and quality of life. In this way, we can make Clarkstown more business-friendly.

At the same time, we will provide for financial responsibility by dealing with real numbers in an open and transparent manner. In this way, we can make both honest and sound decisions regarding our town’s financial future.

We also will appoint a blue-ribbon panel that will hold public sessions regarding taxes and services provided. We call this initiative “community budgeting.” We will include the entire community, including county and schools, in the budget process. This will allow us to make the decisions necessary to reduce expenditures in a way that will reflect the true priorities of our taxpayers.

Corruption is a major problem in our town and county. In my opinion, it is the primary cause of the issues that Ramapo now faces. If their laws on zoning and code enforcement had been followed, they would not face the current problems of over-development that they now have.

I will ensure that the laws, ordinances, and town codes of the town are strictly followed, without passion or prejudice, just as I always did as police chief. In addition, we will rewrite the ethics laws in order to allow people to make ethics complaints without fear of retaliation and empower the ethics board to investigate those complaints.

Hoehmann: If fortunate to serve another term, I will set Clarkstown’s sights to the future and advance the great work that we started two years ago.

We will continue to aggressively protect our town and enforce our codes. We will continue to get our fiscal house in order, search for more savings, and seek to give added tax relief to our residents. This will require economic development as well.

An additional 300,000 square feet of commercial space will be available in the new year and will bring a much needed shot in the arm for our tax base whereby our revenue will increase by broadening our tax base – not raising taxes.

But we must also turn our attention to our two greatest assets: our senior citizens and our young people.

We will continue much-needed renovations at Middlewood to ensure it serves us and future residents well for the next 20 years, and we will seek to find more affordable housing options for our seniors and young people.

This year we will finally fix Street Community Center and give it a new life for all of our residents. Those renovations will continue into 2018.

We will tackle drainage projects like Cranford Drive by year’s end that was first contemplated more than 20 years ago. And we will pursue the long-awaited Klein Avenue drainage improvements.

In 2017 we paved and fixed more roads than ever before, which allowed the town to finally move toward a 10-year paving plan. And we will continue.

How has the two-year battle involving Sullivan's removal as police chief affected this election, and how do you think it will affect the first few months of the next supervisor's term?

Hoehmann: While there have been some contentious moments, they have been more than outweighed by the successes of my first term.

We continue to work to end the practice of no-show jobs and bring reform and transparency to town government. We have made government more accountable and accessible. We are moving our town forward and together we will make a positive change.

Sullivan: It doesn’t impact either in any way. I have always maintained that my efforts to clear my name are completely separate from my campaign for office.

It should also be remembered that even if Hoehmann’s accusations against me were true, which they are not, it is still a personnel action, not a criminal one.